Art of upholstery.



Nn. 765,377. A PATBNTBD JULY 19, 1904.

. T. W. BUSGHE.

ART 0F UPHOLSTERY.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 2E, 1904.

No MODEL. Y

INVENTOR Thomas nmclw ATTORNEY THOMAS W. BUSOHE,

Patented July 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ART OF UPHOLSTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 765,377, dated July 19, 1904.

Application filed March 25, 1904.

To al?, whom, t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS W. BUscHE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in the Art of Up-v holstery, of which the following is a specilication. A

The invention relates to improvements in the art of upholstering cushions and the like, and pertains more especially to a novel method and means for tufting the exposed surface of the cushion or other article, the object being to produce a tufted surface which contains no inaccessible places for dust, dirt, and verminv to gather and which is capable of being easily, quickly, and thoroughly cleansed. In carrying out my invention I also produce a tufted surface of novel appearance and one in which the covering fabric is devoid of sharp creases and irregular strains. Y

I present my invention herein as embodied in a leather-covered cushion for a chair; but my invention is applicable to all kinds of upholstery-work and to coverings of velvet, tapestry, and other fabrics, as well as to leather.

Ordinarily the tufting in upholstery-work is performed by means of buttons and lacingcords connected therewith, the buttons being on the upper or exposed surface of the cushion or other article and drawn and held inwardly by means of said cords, the covering fabric in this class of work being sharply creased or in folds'about the tufted surfaces. rIhe tufted surfaces thus produced are frequently very difficult to clean and often subi lstantially impossible to be cleaned, for dirt and dust will gather not only in the sharp folds of the covering fabric, but also below the buttons, whence it is at least impracticable, if not impossible, to remove the same. It is well known that a great deal of time is required for the dusting or cleansing of tufted furniture and that the covering fabrics of such furniture are frequently injured by repeated attempts to clean the same.

In accordance with my invention I secure Serial No. 199,920. (No model.)

the tufting-buttons in their proper relative positions against the inner concealed surface of the covering fabric and employ the usual lacing cords or twine in connection with them to draw and hold the buttons inwardly, whereby to produce the tufted-surface effect, and when the tufting is performed in this manner the bases of the recesses formed by the tufting present smooth surfaces, which may be easily cleaned, and the side walls of said recesses may be devoid of sharp inaccessible creases and irregular strains.

Another advantage of my invention is that in the use thereof the shanks of the tuftingbuttons do not pass through the covering fabric and that the style and appearance of the cushion or other article may be varied in many ways by the form, size, and arrangement of the buttons.

In the drawings I show buttons of double convex form and circular in outline, and buttons of this character create at the base of the tuft-recesses a smooth circular convex eect, which is desirable for some classes of articles; but I may use fiat buttons, or oval or elongated buttons, or buttons of other shape at will, in accordance with the design or effect I may wish to produce in the covering fabric. I therefore employ the word button in this application in a generic sense and not as indicating specifically a small round disk possessing ashank or eyes.

, The invention will be more fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a' top view of a portion of a cushion tufted in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional view ofsame on the dotted line 2 2 of same. Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view through a portion of the covering fabric and one button with its securing means on the dotted line 3 3 of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a like view of same on the dotted line 4 4 of Fig. 1, Fig. L3 indicating the employment of a button having a shank, and Fig. 4 one having two holes in lieu of a shank.

Fig. 5 is a view of aportion of the inner side of the covering fabric with the means for securing a button in position against the same. Fig. 6 is a detached bottom view of the button shown in Fig. 3, and Fig. 7 isalike view of the button shown in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, 10 denotes acushion for a chair, and this cushion comprises the exposed Y covering fabric 11, the usual cheaper exterior lower fabric 12, the customary hair or other filling 13, and the inner inclosing fabric 14, employed for temporarilyT holding the filling 13 together. The covering fabric 11 is of proper size to fit the cushion or other article, and against its lower surface are secured at proper intervals the tufting buttons or devices 15 by means of flexible pieces 16, through which the shan ks 17 of the buttons pass, Figs. 2 and 3, and which may be secured to the covering fabric 11 by stitching 18, extending closely around the buttons. rllhe pieces 16 may be of leather when the covering fabric 11 is of leather, and said pieces preferably extend outwardly a reasonable distance beyond the edges of the buttons, as shown. rI `he lacing cord or twine 19 is of usual character, and it is drawn through the cushion in the usual manner, said cord being threaded through the shank 17 of the button when the latter employs a shank, as shown in Fig. 2. A strongly-adherent and when dry pliable cement may supplement or be employed as a substitute for the stitching 18 in securing the under pieces 16 to the fabric 11, Fig. 4.

When the covering 11 is of fine texture or a woven fabric, the buttons 15 should be clothcovered, as shown in Fig. 4, in which I also illustrate the method of employing a button having two holes through it instead of a shank to receive the lacing-thread, which will be passed upwardly through one hole of the button and through one mesh of the covering fabric and then returned downwardly through the same mesh of said fabric and through the other hole of the button, so that when the stitching or lacing' cord or twine is drawn upon to secure the desired depth of tufting it will not be seen on the surface of the covering fabric. When the two-hole buttons, Fig. 4, are made use of, the tufting may be performed when the covering fabric permits of it after the filling or padding has been completely inclosed within the covering.

lVhen the shank-buttons are employed in my process of tufting, the covering fabric may be cut to fit the cushion and then have the buttons secured at proper intervals against its lower surface. The upper and lower exterior covering fabrics 11 12 will be sewed together along one side and along the other three sides leftv open to enable the upholsterer after the insertion of the filling or padding to conveniently reach in turn the successive rows of button-Shanks and by means of the lacingcords draw the buttons down into place. After the last row of tufting is finished the union of fabrics 11 12 will be completed.

The cushion tufted in accordance with my invention is attractive in appearance, it may be cleaned readily and as frequently as necessary without injury to the covering fabric, and it contains no inaccessible places for dust and dirt to gather and remain, this latter feature being a highly-desirable object from many points of view accomplished by my invention. My invention also enables the concealment of the button devices except as to their outline and the exposure of an unbroken stretch of the covering fabric over the surface of the cushion. My invention also permits of the employment of tufting-button devices of various shapes, sizes, and arrangements in securing various designs or effects by means of the tufting, and this is a feature which I regard as important.

I do not limit my invention to its employment in connection with any special cushioned article, nor to any special tufting-buttons, nor to any special means for afiixing the buttons to the under side of the covering fabric.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. A tufted cushion or the like having the tufting-button devices fixed to the inner surface of its exterior covering fabric; substantially as set forth.

2. A tufted cushion or 'the like having under pieces secured to the inner surface of the exterior covering fabric and the tufting-button devices inclosed between said fabric and pieces; substantially as set forth.

3. A tufted cushion or the like having un- IOO der pieces secured to Athe inner surface of the covering fabric and the tufting-button devices inclosed between said fabric and pieces, the means securing said pieces being close along the edges of said button devices so as to firmly locate the same; substantially as set forth.

4. A tufted cushion or the like having' under pieces secured by sewing to the inner surface of the covering fabric and the tuftingbutton devices inclosed between said fabric and pieces, the said sewing extending closely along the edges of said devices; substantially as set forth.

A tufted cushion or the like having the tufting-button devices fixed against the inner surface of its covering fabric, said devices having convex or raised outer surfaces and said covering fabric conforming thereto; substantially as set forth.

6. A tufted cushion or the like having under pieces secured to the inner surface of the exterior covering fabric, and the tufting-buttondevices inclosed between said fabric and pieces, said devices having Shanks extended IIO through said pieces to receive the lacing-twine; in relief upon said fabric; substantially as set IO substantially as set forth. p forth.

7. A tufted cushion or the like having the Signed at New York, in the county of New p tufting-button devices fixed against the inner York and State of New York, this 23d day of surface of its covering fabric, said devices March, A. D. 1904.

having raised outer surfaces, and means bind- THOMAS W. BUSCHE. ing said covering fabric against said upper Witnesses: surfaces and along the edges of said devices, CI-IAs. C. GILL,

whereby the outline of said devices appears ARTHUR MARION. 

